Kentucky Defeats USC 77-55

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Julius Mays' 15 points led five Kentucky players in double figures, and the Wildcats blew out South Carolina 77-55 Tuesday night to move within a game of first-place Florida in the Southeastern Conference.

Kentucky (16-6, 7-2) began the night two games behind Florida before the No. 2 Gators suffered their first conference loss, 80-69 at Arkansas, earlier in the evening.

The Wildcats followed with their fourth straight victory and perhaps most complete in conference play as they shot 27 of 44 from the field and outrebounded the Gamecocks 42-25. Kentucky's 61-percent shooting was its third-highest this season.

Willie Cauley-Stein and Archie Goodwin each added 13 points, Ryan Harrow had 12 and Nerlens Noel 10 along with 10 rebounds and five blocks.

Freshman forward Michael Carrera scored a game-high 18 points for South Carolina (12-10, 2-7), which lost its third in a row and fifth in the past six games.